Technology. Useful, sure, but is it safe for kids?
We all know that Wi-Fi allows connecting to the internet via microwaves, or Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR). But did you know that low dosages of EMR for long periods of time could be as hazardous as high dosages of EMR for short periods of time?
- There’s no escape. Look around you, Wi-Fi is everywhere! Wi-Fi enabled homes, schools, offices, cafes, etc, ensure that almost everybody is constantly within range of a constant dose of EMR.
- Too much EMR = bad! Prolonged exposure to radiofrequency and microwave radiation from cell phones, cordless phones, cell towers, Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies has been linked to interference with short-term memory and concentration, sleep disruption, headache and dizziness, fatigue, immune disruption, skin rashes and changes in cardiac function. Have a quick look at The Bioinitaitive Report if you don’t believe me (I’d recommend just clicking on the Summary for the Public, unless you’re really clever and/or a scientist).
- Children are at greater risk. Children have thinner skulls, and their brain and nervous systems are still in development right into late adolescence. That’s why they’re more at risk to things like H1N1, and that’s why they’re more susceptible to EMR.
- If it were dangerous, authorities would do something right? Some are, for instance The Austrian Medical Association, the German government and the European Environment Agency. However, progress is limited, especially with inadequate and outdated internationally accepted guidelines set in the 1990s still in place. Malaysia is probably still racing to make sure the country is 100% Wi-Fi enabled…
- Is your child being exposed to EMR? See point number 1.
So what can we do to protect children from EMR? For now, we can only go through the trouble of not using Wi-Fi at home, and perhaps asking schools and libraries not to use Wi-Fi as well. Children should also only use mobile phones in the event of an emergency.
You can also read more about more about Wi-Fi hazards in the press.
Find out if your home, workplace and your child’s school falls within a Wi-Fi coverage area. Do you think it’s OK if it is? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Early Years Childcare 
Posted by Mel on 17 August, 2009 at 7:27 pm
So disturbing!
Posted by MarkLim81 on 18 August, 2009 at 11:30 am
Yes, especially if people only realise the bad effects decades down the line!
Posted by p a t t on 18 August, 2009 at 2:35 am
even if you dont’ use it at home, your neighbour’s wifi gets in…
anyone invented EMR blockers yet? liekt he way they block mobile phone receptions in movie theatres?
Posted by MarkLim81 on 18 August, 2009 at 11:31 am
Exactly, Wi-Fi is everywhere.
Are mobile phones blocked in movies? I still use mine 🙂
Posted by sher on 18 August, 2009 at 10:57 am
haha… I thought u meant microwave as in the ones u use to heat up food… lol…
Parents shouldn’t give handphones to them at such a young age! Kids as young as std 1 or prb younger (like our dear little UNCLE) walking around sms-ing their friends like there’s no tmr!
Posted by MarkLim81 on 18 August, 2009 at 11:47 am
The point is that food microwaves for a short period could be as harmful as other microwaves for a long period.
I never really understood why kids need handpones at such a young age. To SMS their friends I guess?
Posted by AntenasAquiNao on 14 October, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Hi
I’m living in Portugal and I agree with you.
I’m fighting against this problem because I live near three Cellphone Antennas and because no one complains about this problem, I decide to create a blog ( http://antenasaquinao.blogspot.com/ ) against the installation of Antennas near houses.
My blog is in Portuguese, but there are a lot of links to studies and other sites that support this issue.
I realize that no one cares about children, pregnant woman and old people. We can see cellphone advertisement on TV oriented to young people, cellphone companies releasing cellphones to young people and all the main Internet companies are installing now fiber optics for a 100Mbps access but with one Wi-fi router on every house.
Electromagnetic Radiation levels allowed in Portugal may be considered dangerous in other countries.
I write several letter to politicians and other public entities, but it seems that no one cares about this.
Recently I made a complain to the European Parliament and I’m waiting to see what can be done.
The scientists already demonstrate that we should be careful about this kind of radiation. Now this must be a politic decision, but this means that they have to face the big companies.
This is exactly the same movie with tobacco, money comes first, than people.
Regards
Posted by MarkLim81 on 15 October, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Hi, and thanks for your input, from Portugal no less! 🙂
From what I can make out from your blog via Google Translate, it contains a wealth of useful information on the subject, including videos from CNN.
Are you acting as an individual or as part of a group? I don’t know much about politics, but perhaps you’d get better results acting as a group, via signed petitions or demonstrations.
Money may come first, but it doesn’t mean that people don’t matter or that they should stop trying. Keep up the good work!